First things first (as expected this is the same version that screened on BBC2 t'other year. i.e. 147min with NO flashback scene (long or otherwise at the end).

...and just to clarify for people unaware of the BBC2 version...

It contains everything (Mao quotes, ant hill pissing, more violence) that the Restored Italian print does EXCEPT the long (3min) flashback scene at the end.

I've just had a quick skip through the DVD I can say that print they used is in relatively good shape albeit quite grainy (as one expects with Techinscope films). The DVD transfer is surprisingly high (9.8Mbps) and the correct ratio. Note the opening credits seem to be windows boxed to avoid overscan cropping. Sound is 2 channel Mono. (The restored Italian print I saw at the cinema was stereo)

Here's some grabs...

(click images for full size version)

Extras: German dub, French dub, plus usual host of subtitles and the trailer (6.4Mb) Right click to download.

Bottom line: This looks like the longest English language version of the film there's likely to be for some time. I believe the restoration (FILM) is due to start soon but god knows how long that'll take to get to DVD. So as someone who's a big fan of this movie and had to put up with years of watching is cut to bits on P&S VHS I'd thoroughly recommend a purchase. RRP is £12.99 too!

I just hate the fact that the flashback being missing may prevent people who've never seen it off.

Anyway! If you wanna get hardcore about it…then firstly buy the Italian DVD. Sit down and watch this one (UK R2) until 2hours 24min 33secs. Then quickly press eject. Stick in the Italian DVD, time search to 2:24:33. Then watch (for the flashback et al). There's no more dialogue so it won't make one iota that it's Italian Only!

Thanks for the info Garry,it sounds like you are as big a fan of the movie as I am.I should recieve both the UK and the Italian DVDs this week so I shall most certainly do as you suggest.And those pictures have certainly whetted my appetite for seeing the film in full widescreen!

Hello all.Is this the same version that was released in 96 on MGM laserdisc, which was touted as the "uncut" version? It runs 154 mins and has an alternate ending on. With pal speed up it would be shorter. Thanks for any info.

I don't have the laser disc[so if I'm wrong somebody correct me....] but from stuff I have read the laser disc's two endings[I don't know which one was actually on the film and which one was seperate]were

a The one which completely omits the end flashback

b The one which has the end flashback but in shortened form[I believe this was in the 138min US/UK cinema version of the film which was on video]

The UK DVD is exactly the same as the laserdisc but has [a] as it's ending,with no flashback at all.

The version of the film with the FULL flashback is only available on DVD in Italy,I am still wating for it to arrive but Garry Cowell confirmed for me that it's on it.

As far as I know the final flashback consists of Sean and his co-conspirator [the one played by David Warbeck whom he shot]both kissing,in turn,the same girl who was in the first flashback[the one showing them in the car].This was in shortened form in the old VHS release,which I have,may be Garry can go into more detail about the longer version of the flashback but i think that is about it.

Have just watched the dvd. It has the "alternate ending" from the laserdisc. Another thing I noticed is a dialogue change. In the ending of the dvd version, which is the alternate version on the laserdisc.Juan says"You leave me now, y'know, what the f*#@'s gonna happen to me?"On the laserdisc's normal ending with a short flashback, he says"You leave me now, y'know, what's gonna happen to me?"A bit of pointless trivia which I'm sure you all know.But a strange difference, considering the word is used through the film anyway.

This has been a favorite of mine, but I've gotten used to the 138minute version which was trimmed of 20 minutes because the distributor thought the film too long. I don't think it suffered to be cut (I've not seen the uncut version) but I don't particularily want to see Steiger pissing on some ants, and more shots of violence. I don't really know too much about this longer cut but I've heard someone say that the rape scene was more explicit and even one scene running about 1 minute in the short version is running 4 minutes in the long version and consists only of Steiger watching the dead bodies. And even this shorter version has retained part of the flashback the longer DVD is missing! Though one thing irritated me in the short version, the swearwords have been moved out. At one point Coburn says: "I don't give a f.... about your revolutions" (the F**k dies out in the middle of the sentence!)

So what you are missing, is the opening Mao quote, which sets the tone of the film; Silvia Monti being given a taste of peasant passion (but no rape); Steiger using Coburn's dynamite to blow up the mine owners at night; a re-cut of the cave scene, where you see no bodies at all until Steiger has marched off to confront the Federales, and then Coburn wanders off and looks at all the bodies of Steiger's family, which is incredibly poignant; and an epic scene before the train journey where soldiers are herding prisoners into pits and massacring them, which suggests the turmoil that the Mao quote promised.You probably can live without those scenes, but I can't.